Oberlin College Posse Scholar Ryan Dearon was one of three students nationwide chosen for the highly selective Fulbright Summer Institute in the United Kingdom. An English and musical studies major, he studied music and acting at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

“My experience through Fulbright gave me a deeper insight into English history and culture and appreciation for Shakespearian literature and drama,” says Ryan. “Living in London and studying at the Globe Theatre was an experience of a lifetime.”

This past semester, Ryan was admitted into the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest and one of the most prestigious conservatories in the country, admitting only 20 students per year.

Now a sophomore, Ryan has served as the class president for two years, is the co-chair and treasurer of the Black Musician’s Guild, and is a representative on the college’s strategic planning committee. He also volunteers as a literary math tutor for the local Boys and Girls Club and is a frequent panelist for Oberlin’s admissions forums for prospective students and new faculty.

“I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to go to Oberlin and I wanted to be a part of Posse,” says Ryan “I knew that as a first-generation college student, I needed support in a very specific way, and to this day Posse continues to provide that support.”

Ryan will return to Europe this winter term to study Shakespeare in Rome. Upon graduating from college, he would like to earn a graduate degree in voice performance and arts administration before pursuing a career as an art director in Chicago.